Monticello questions Austin timeframe

The president of the Monticello Motor Club questions whether a new F1 circuit could be built in time for 2012

27 May 2010

Ari Straus, the president of the Monticello Motor Club, has questioned the timeframe announced for the new United States Grand Prix in Austin.

Monticello had been mentioned as one possible venue for the race due to its proximity to New York before Tuesday evening's announcement that a deal has been agreed for F1 to return to the United States at a purpose built circuit in Texas.

While he sent congratulations to Tavo Hellmund, managing partner of new event promoter Full Throttle Productions, Straus admitted that he felt it would be a challenge to get a new venue ready for 2012 and warned that the promoter shouldn't expect to make money from the event right away.

"Our hats are off to him," he told the Statesman. "I think New York would be a better venue but we need Formula One back in the US. "[However] somebody starting from scratch would not be able to do it until 2013.

"The first thing that Bernie says is that you can forget about making money. The best you can hope for is to break even."

Eddie Gossage, president of the Texas Motor Speedway, added that he expected the costs of the venue to exceed those needed to put his circuit together.

"I can tell you this facility cost about $250 million," he told Speed TV. "[An F1 track] would exceed that."